The Leading Speakers Bureau

Chair Professor of Communication Technology & Society

Manuel Castells is Professor of Communication and the holder of the Wallis Annenberg Chair in Communication Technology and Society at the Annenberg School for Communication, University of Southern California. He is a Research Professor at the Open University of Catalonia in Barcelona and Professor Emeritus of Sociology and of City and Regional Planning at the University of California, Berkeley. He is currently the co-editor of the International Journal of Communication.

“Governments can no longer govern; they can only negotiate”

[expand title=”In detail”] Between 1967 and 1979 he was associate professor of sociology at the School for Advanced Studies in Social Sciences at the University of Paris. In 1979 he was appointed Professor of City and Regional Planning and of Sociology at the University of California, Berkeley. He has lectured in over 300 academic institutions in 46 countries and is the author of 22 academic books and editor or co-author of 21 additional books, as well as over 100 articles in academic journals. He has been knighted for scientific merit by the Governments of France (Order of Arts and Letters), Finland (Order of the Lion of Finland), Chile (Order of Gabriela Mistral), Portugal (Order of Santiago da Espada), and Catalonia (Cross of Saint George).[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]A pro-bono advisor to the governments of Chile, Portugal, Spain, Mexico, Ecuador, Nicaragua, China, Brazil, Russia, Finland, and South Africa, Manuel Castells is the most influential urban theorist of our time and has revolutionized modern thought on the processes of advanced capitalism and the generation of inequality. His forward thinking views reflect the panoramic breadth of his knowledge, the clarity of his approach, and the scholarly rigor and intellectual depth of his theoretical methods. [/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]Manuel is a brilliant speaker who brings great depth to his immaculately researched presentations in which he skillfully demonstrates his analytical prowess.[/expand]
Continue Reading »

Business Visionary and Serial Innovator

Don Strickland is a former Senior Executive at Apple, CEO of PictureWorks and CEO of IPIX. Currently Don is the President and CEO of Strickland Associates and serves as Advising Director of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Imperial College London. Don Strickland has successfully built businesses internationally for both large public companies and private start ups. As a CEO he has consistently combined new technologies and business models to reinvent companies and grow stockholder value.

Expect to come away with a unique perspective on innovation, leadership and entrepreneurship.

[expand title=”In detail”] Don Strickland was the visionary behind the world’s first consumer digital camera, which he developed as Kodak’s VP of Digital Imaging and launched into the market after joining Apple. As Apple’s VP of Imaging and Publishing he led the re-architecture of Apple’s computer platform for the publishing market from traditional print media to “new media” including the Internet, music and video. He left Apple to become CEO of Silicon Valley startup, PictureWorks Technology, and was a pioneer of the Web 2.0 business model. He took the company public through a merger with IPIX, and built the market value to US$1.6 billion. He currently advises technology companies on business model innovation, leadership and entrepreneurship and serves as Advising Director of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Imperial College London.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you as a keynote speaker”]Don speaks on the key topics facing C-Level management and Boards of large companies. He works with the client beforehand to understand their business challenges, venue and goals. He tunes his presentation to the audience, and allows ample time for follow on Q&A and discussions.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents as a keynote speaker”]He adapts to the forum of the client, delivering high added value as a speaker, advisor or moderator. His unique insights into how business really works “from the inside” are fascinating and memorable. He is also part of our Top Leadership speakers.[/expand]
Continue Reading »

Author and Leading Authority on Innovation, Creativity and Leadership

Nigel Barlow has a reputation as one of the world’s most dynamic business speakers. He is also a strategic coach, consultant and author, working with large organisations in over 20 countries. Nigel is founding director of an international consultancy company and was also a founding director of the Tom Peters Group consulting business in the UK.

The master of applying creative thinking to customer service.

[expand title=”In detail”] Nigel’s skill is to convey a serious message in a highly entertaining and interactive way. His latest book is ‘Re-think: How to think differently’ and in his speeches he helps his audience to “Open their mind to creative re-thinking”. Creative re-thinking can be applied to topics as diverse as Leadership, People Development, Individual and Corporate Innovation, Strategic Development and the Customer Experience.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Nigel Barlow improves organisational focus by stimulating attitudes and developing leadership capabilities. Concentrating on continuous development, he works with organisations around the world as a speaker, coach, mentor and consultant.[/expand]
Continue Reading »

Global Business Strategist

Akio Miyabayashi was a former CEO of Minolta Europe, responsible for the launch of Minolta Europe in 1965, and Minolta’s own distribution network in the USA 1966, he became CEO Minolta Europe in 1975.

[expand title=”What he offers you”]His clear understanding of the criteria and driving forces of global competitiveness enabled him to successfully develop the European Operations of this multi-national corporation from a staff of 17 in 1965 to 5,200 in 1995 when he became a senior corporate adviser for the Minolta worldwide. His ability to understand the different cultures of the world and utilizing it for the successful growth, enabled Minolta to become a major player in the European market, with 44 companies and subsidiaries and 2 factories throughout Europe, including Eastern Europe and some parts of the former Soviet Union.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]A charismatic speaker with the knowledge of different cultures (European, American and Japanese), Akio Miyabayashi has shared centre stage with some of the world prominent politicians and business leaders. His presentations leave the audience with a valuable insight into European and Asian developments in industry, management and society, and offer meaningful projections into the 21st century.[/expand]
Continue Reading »

Founder of Pentacle Business School, World Authority on Project Management

Professor Eddie Obeng is Founder Director of Pentacle the world’s first virtual business school and the first organisation to offer an integrated management approach specifically designed to meet the challenges of our fast changing, complex 21st century. He was previously an Executive Director at Ashridge Management College, having begun his career with Shell. Professor Obeng pioneered the concept of the ‘New World’ throughout the 1990’s.

‘Agent provocateur’ and a ‘…leading revolutionary’ Financial Times

[expand title=”In detail”] Eddie and his team have spent the best part of a decade re-writing the fundamentals of business management to create their own coherent, joined up New World approach. They have challenged all the established thinking from strategy as environmental fit to ‘hero’ leaders and re-interpreted the needs for the 21st century of complexity and fast change. Eddie brings genuinely new concepts, materials and practice. He has written up some of his work in over 12 books.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]If you’re after the ‘same old – same old’ Eddie is not the speaker for you. Using his extensive experience and insights he will challenge your perceptions and help you to see the new reality. But more than just ‘talking concepts’ he will use examples from real life client assignments to illustrate and explain, proving, in his words that “The future is now because most of us are already late!”. Eddie is a genuine leader. He has the ability to bring a presentation to life, engage and involve the audience often on a tough thinking journey. Eddie’s legendary reputation for injecting energy means he is often offered the tough post-lunch ‘graveyard slot’ at many conferences.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]“Eddie’s speech was very valuable as related beautifully to audience’s need, he obviously did his homework! The audience thoroughly enjoyed his energetic and passionate delivery, and would have liked more.”

Eddie is an exciting, energising, thought provoking, rigorous and humorous speaker. His presentations are incredibly energetic and he is renowned as a powerful presenter and a wonderful speaker. He is also part of our Top Leadership speakers.[/expand]
Continue Reading »

Professor of Business & Technology and Dean of External Relations at INSEAD

Soumitra Dutta is an authority on technology and innovation strategy. He has advised top management of major multi-nationals, leaders of major governments and has been showcased in major business and general news media. He is currently Robert Berger Professor of Business & Technology and Dean of External Relations at INSEAD and has co-written several books on technology-enabled business innovation.

“Refreshing global perspective on technology-enabled business innovation”

[expand title=”In detail”] He is the former Dean of Executive Education at INSEAD and had the responsibility of leading the largest executive education program portfolio in the world. Prior to joining the faculty of INSEAD in 1989, he was employed with Schlumberger in Japan and General Electric in the USA. Soumitra is also a fellow of the World Economic Forum and the co-editor of the Global Information Technology Report, the world’s most comprehensive and authoritative international assessment of the impact of ICT on the development process and the competitiveness of nations. He is also a member of the Advisory Committee for ICT for the Government of Qatar.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Throughout his distinguished career, he has focused on how to drive business innovation and growth through the right combination of innovative people and technology. He demonstrates why innovation is the best solution for making businesses thrive today and also ensuring that they emerge stronger after a crisis. In his latest book ‘Throwing Sheep in the Boardroom’, he reveals how online social networking is transforming our personal lives, the inner dynamics of our organisations as well as our behaviour as consumers and citizens.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]Soumitra is a highly knowledgeable and insightful speaker whose presentations are filled with a host of concrete examples ready to be put into practice.[/expand]
Continue Reading »

Director of Entrepreneurial Leadership Centre, Thought Leader & Author

Colin Turner is an extraordinary entrepreneur with a flair for unlocking business and personal success in others. He is presently the President of Futuremedia Learning, the UK’s leading learning and brand communications company as well as Vice President of Business Bureau liaising with the UK Government on improving business practise. The author of 18 books published in 38 languages, with over two million copies enjoyed by readers, he shares remarkable knowledge on all aspects of successful entrepreneurial thinking. He is Professor Emeritus of Entrepreneurship, referred to by Business Age as ‘Europe’s foremost teacher for business success’.

“A leading authority on business, lifestyle and management” Time

[expand title=”In detail”] A leading authority on success, business, management and lifestyle, Colin Turner, a.k.a The Monaco Mentor, is the Patron of Determined to Succeed; providing personal development learning tools for Schools in Scotland. Combining Eastern philosophy and contemporary Western experience into a practical format for daily use, he is consistently in demand with some of the world’s most recognised global corporations; Pfizer appointed him as their external change agent to attain leading market position. He was also instrumental in developing BT’s global customer service strategy. [/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Concentrating on the entrepreneurial characteristics that are essential for growth, he shows audiences how to increase focus, performance and productivity. In his presentations, he propels both teams and individuals to develop their personal and career paths to success. As an internationally respected keynote speaker, Colin Turner has the very real ability to inform and inspire people while igniting within them a fresh approach to business and life. He shares proven techniques gained over 35 years experience of building his own, successful enterprises and working closely with cutting edge leaders of the world’s most profitable organizations.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]His dynamic, highly inspirational and thought-provoking presentations are specifically tailored to deliver real value, ensuring a memorable conference that delivers the best impact for the messages you wish to impart. His tough, no holds barred, uncensored style, whether for leading organizations, business owners and entrepreneurs, works.[/expand]
Continue Reading »

Leading Futurologist, who addresses issues both present and future that impact on the process of management decision-making

Dr James Bellini is a leading futurologist and author with a considerable reputation as a thought-provoking speaker and moderator at top-level management conferences and business schools around the world. James has spent more than twenty-five years as a respected TV broadcaster, futures analyst and writer with a strong focus on social, economic and technological trends up to Horizon 2025.

“A historian of the future”

[expand title=”In detail”] After an early academic career James joined the US-headquartered futurology ‘think tank’, the Hudson Institute, as its first British member. He subsequently moved to the BBC to present The Money Programme, Newsnight, and Panorama. He has received numerous awards and accolades for his outstanding work throughout his career. For seven years he was a studio presenter with Financial Times Television and Sky News. James has written many books and special reports and is a regular contributor to leading publications.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Dr Bellini addresses issues both present and future that impact on the process of management decision-making. He focuses on a number of specific but interrelated areas of direct relevance to business and government.[/expand]
Continue Reading »

Entrepreneur & Co-founder & CEO of Axialent

Axialent co-founder and CEO Andy Freire is an inspired entrepreneur in both business and social realms. He successfully built his business from start-up to US$ 40 million in annual sales in a 30 month span and in the process creating the leading business to business e-commerce platform in Latin America. Most recently, he was chosen as “Young Global Leader 2008” by the World Economic Forum. He is the Chairman of Endeavor Foundation in Argentina and is also member of the board of the Young Presidents Organization (YPO) chapter in Argentina.

Andy Freire is one of those rare individuals with exceptional entrepreneurial spirit

[expand title=”In detail”] Andy has a Licenciatura in Economics magna cum laude from the University of San Andrés in Buenos Aires and an OPM from Harvard Business School. He has been the recipient of several awards including Entrepreneur of the Year 2001 and winner of one of two prestigious entrepreneurship awards at the World Young Business Achiever contest. He also has his own TV programme on CNN. Andy previously worked in Procter & Gamble in the finance department and then founded and led Officenet, a company that revolutionized the industry of office-supply distribution in Latin America and grew from one to almost a thousand employees in a 4-year span.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Andy offers decision makers invaluable pointers designed specifically to help companies and individuals alike recognise potential markets and then focus on these markets to generate, and more importantly, maintain growth, productivity and profits. He has participated as a motivational speaker at several events worldwide including the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.[/expand]

[expand title=”How he presents”]A dynamic speaker Andy Freire packs his talks with essential information and useful insights designed specifically to help companies increase profits and sales. With thought provoking examples, using case studies and drawing from his own experience, Andy delivers powerful, refreshing keynotes that leave the audience with actionable recommendations on how to imbed their companies with an “entrepreneurial spirit” and unleash their people’s talents.[/expand]
Continue Reading »

Leading World Expert on Knowledge Management & Intellectual Capital (IC)

Leif Edvinsson is probably best known as the first Chief Knowledge Officer in the world as he served as Corporate Director for Intellectual Capital, Skandia AFS and architect of the Skandia Future Centre. He currently serves as Professor of Intellectual Capital, University of Lund, and the founder and CEO of UNIC – Universal Networking Intellectual Capital AB. He is also special advisor to the Swedish Cabinet on the effects of the new digital economy, a special advisor to the United Nations International Trade Center and is a co-founder of the Swedish Coalition of Service Industries.

In 1998 he won the prestigious Brain of the Year Award and in 2000 he was listed on the top 20 list of the Most Admired Knowledge Leaders in the World

[expand title=”In detail”] Leif Edvinsson holds an MBA from the University of California, Berkeley. He is the author for numerous articles on the service industry and on Intellectual Capital. His first book ‘Intellectual Capital’ has been praised worldwide as the best resource on how to recognise the value of a company’s intellectual assets, which Edvinsson argues, can far exceed the value of its physical assets. In light of his work in both training and Intellectual Capital, Edvinsson has been a special advisor on service trade to the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.[/expand]

[expand title=”What he offers you”]Leif tackles the challenges of maximising corporate brainpower, a topic which will occupy many of the best business minds in the coming years. He also highlights to his audiences the properties of Intellectual Capital from Knowledge Management, how to measure Intellectual Capital and how to actively manage it, from R&D to education, IT and software. He is a regular speaker before such organisations as the BBC, CIO, Conference Board, Economist, Handelsblatt, Insead, IMD and the American Productivity and Quality Center.[/expand]
Continue Reading »